By December 1943, poultry was unavailable anywhere in Seoul, eggs were supposed to be priority-rationed to hospitalized war veterans and people with doctors' certificates (pregnant women and nursing mothers), but ordinary Koreans had to buy eggs on the black market at 30 sen (about $6 USD today) each

This article talks about the egg and poultry shortage that was rampant in Korea in December 1943, two years into an all-out war against the US. Eggs were all supposed to be sold by farmers to the colonial government at officially set prices, funneled into a centralized distribution point, and then distributed to stores and hospitals. Hospitals and war veteran patients had priority, followed by anyone who had doctors' certificates, who presumably included pregnant women and nursing mothers.

However, this rationing system apparently had problems, as farmers as well as retailers were incentivized to bypass official channels and sell eggs on the black market at higher prices, similarly to what happened in the Soviet command economy. 

Black market retailers charged 30 sen per egg (about $6 USD in 2022), and consumers could only buy two or three eggs at a time. Each morning edition of the Keijo Nippo of 1942 was priced at 6 sen. Today, each morning edition of Asahi Shimbun is priced at 160 yen. Using this conversion, 30 sen would be worth 800 yen today, which would be worth US $5.93 today.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) December 24, 1943

Tomorrow's posture to win through to victory

A Focus on Eating Habits (6)

Meat and Eggs

Eggs are luxury items!

Regulation demanded to reserve eggs for the sick

The distribution of meat, which is a fatty food and a source of caloric supply for the fighting residents of Seoul, has been going well so far, providing 50 momme (187.5 grams) for a family of up to four, 100 momme (375 grams) for a family of up to nine, and 10 momme (37.5 grams) for each additional family member for a family of 10 or more, according to the rotational purchase coupons for meat for household use. However, unregulated poultry has disappeared from Seoul due to officially set prices as well as issues with feed.　When supplies do not appear in the market, we may immediately imagine chicken being siphoned off or sold on the black market, but in fact, there is absolutely no poultry arriving at the Gyeonggi Provincial Livestock Products Sales Association at the moment.

In addition to poultry shortages, there is also a shortage of eggs, which have been kept away from the kitchens of the people of Seoul. Milk and eggs, the most essential source of nutrition for the sick, are not available in Seoul at all, but unlike the situation with poultry, the quantity of eggs received has been gradually improving in 1942 and 1943 since the lowest quantity of eggs was reached in 1941, and the egg supply is showing a steady increase.

Believing that egg supplies are at their lowest level ever, many consumers have already given up on eggs, thinking that they are the most difficult product to obtain. As for the actual situation with egg shipments, most of the eggs laid by poultry farmers in the province are delivered smoothly to Seoul because feed, which is the lifeblood of poultry farmers, is distributed through Gyeonggi Province, and the poultry farmers are forced to provide eggs in exchange for the feed.

The quantity of eggs laid has been significantly reduced due to the decline in the quality and quantity of feed, and the quantity of eggs received this year has dropped to about 30% of the peak level in 1940, when eggs were the most abundant in Seoul. Although 30% sounds like a good figure, the number of eggs that flowed into Seoul without passing through the Gyeonggi Provincial Egg Association at that time was almost double the number of eggs that passed through the Gyeonggi Provincial Egg Association and flowed into Seoul, so the actual figure is about 10% of the peak level in 1940.

At present, all eggs entering Seoul are centrally collected at the Gyeonggi Provincial Livestock Products Sales Processing Station, and from there they are distributed to hospitals and small retailers, with about 30% of the incoming eggs given priority for distribution to hospitals, and the remainder given to the 65 small egg cooperative retailers and 65 small food retailers in Seoul. As for the method of sale:

The eggs are ordered to be preferentially distributed as hospital food to those who have doctors' certificates. The average quantity of eggs received per day is approximately 100 kan (375 kg) per day, of which the quantity for general consumers is estimated to be over 60 kan (225 kg). If 7 eggs weigh an average of 100 momme (375 grams), that means that an average of 3,600 eggs come into the hands of small retailers.

In reality, however, there are no eggs whatsoever in the market. Although eggs are not distributed daily to the 130 egg distributors in Seoul due to a decrease in the number of eggs received, they are distributed wholesale once or twice a week, so to sum it up, eggs are definitely being allocated to the small retailers.

When we asked one retailer in Hanazono-chō (now Yegwan-dong), Seoul, about the actual situation of eggs being sold as a rationed food, he replied,

"We usually receive egg deliveries of about 3 to 5 kan (11.25 to 18.75 kg) once a week in general. When the eggs arrive at the store, we post a notice at the storefront saying that we will start selling eggs on what day and from what time, and those who bring a doctor's certificate are given priority. We sell a maximum of two or three eggs per customer," he disclosed. The current black market price for eggs is around 30 sen per egg, and it is said that consumers will never receive eggs except on the black market. The current situation is that eggs are actually not being sold at general grocery stores. We asked Mr. Satō, manager of the Gyeonggi Provincial Livestock Products Sales Association, about the actual situation of eggs being sold on the black market.

He replied, "The eggs that are now being sold on the black market seem to be brought in by farmers who keep chickens in the surrounding areas and do not receive feed from the Gyeonggi Provincial Agricultural Association. We have no choice but to wait for the authorities to take control of this situation, but depending on how the problem is handled in earnest, we may see a slight turnaround in the egg collection situation. I have heard that some small egg retailers are actually siphoning eggs, but I do not know for sure. In view of the current situation as we fight decisive battles, if the general public would refrain from consuming eggs, and reserve them mainly for the sick, then there would be enough eggs to go to families with sick people who really need them, but it is up to the retailers to be aware of the situation and the consumers to be self-aware.

Since the use of eggs as a general foodstuff is truly a luxury under the current circumstances, some kind of appropriate regulation is desirable for families that desperately need eggs as a special food for the sick.

The current dietary situation of the people of Seoul is far more plentiful than those of the rest of the world on the home front, but in order to make use of eggs as a much more active supply source for the war effort, the righteousness of the small retailers and the self-awareness of the consumers are strongly desired, and together with the urgent measures taken by the authorities, an advancing marching song can be played to provide direction for dietary habits going into the third year of the war. (End of this section) 

[Photo: Meat retailers showing a plentiful supply]

A beautiful, beautiful story

Mr. Kiyohiro Ōhara, a chair manufacturer in the 54th patriotic group, 6th Ward, Jugyo-dong, Jung-gu, won 1,000 yen in the October lottery from a 2-yen bullet stamp that he bought at a regular meeting. Since he received extra money in November, he donated four red and white curtains to the town council and 15 cushions for the regular meeting to the patriotic group, and again won 100 yen in the November lottery. Now that he will receive extra money this month, he is asking the town councilor for his wisdom on what to donate this time, which is an enviable beautiful story.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-12-24

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年12月24日

勝ち抜くあすの構え

食生活を衝く（６）

肉類・鶏卵

鶏卵は贅沢品だ

病人用食の統制を望む

脂肪性食品として戦う府民の熱量補給源たる肉類の末端配給は家庭用肉類輪番購入票により家族数四人迄は五十匁、九人迄は百匁、十人以上は一人増す毎に十匁を加えて順調な出回りを見せているが、此処で統制外の鶏肉は公定価格並びに飼料の関係から府内にさっぱりと姿を見せない。出回りが悪いと一般では直ちに闇や横流れを想像するが事実京畿道畜産物販売組合に入荷する鶏肉は現在の所皆無と云った状態である。

なお鶏肉に関連して府民のお台所を遠のいているものに鶏卵がある。牛乳その他の病人食として最も不可欠な栄養補給源である鶏卵も全然府内に入荷がないのであろうが、これは鶏肉に反して従前通り、否昭和十六年度の鶏卵の最も払底した時を基に十七年度、本年度と入荷数量は漸次好転し、順調な集荷状況を示している。

最も払底していると思われ既に一般消費者間には鶏卵の入手は最も困難なものとして時は諦めている向も多い。鶏卵の実際の入荷状況を見ると、先ず養鶏家に取って生命というべき飼料が京畿道を通じて配給されているため、それと引替に卵の供出が強要される所から道内養鶏家に産せられる大半の卵を順調に京城に入荷する。

数量的に見れば飼料の品質低下、品薄から産卵高は著しく減少されていて、最も順調で府内に卵の氾濫していた昭和十五年を基準として本年度の入荷数量は約三割に落ちている。三割という量は数字的に見れば良い方であるが、当時は京畿道鶏卵組合を経ずに横から府内に流れていた卵が約倍近くあり、実際的にはやはり当時の一割位ということになる。

所で現在京城府内に入る鶏卵は総て京畿道畜産物販売斡旋所に一元的に集卵され、此処から病院その他小売商に廻されているが、先ず入荷した卵はその三割程度を病院用として優先的に配給され、残りを府内六十五軒の鶏卵組合小売商と同じく六十五軒の食料品小売商の手に渡されていて、販売方法に就いては、

病院用食品として医師の診断書持参者には、これ又優先的に配給する様指示されている。大体現在の所、一日百貫平均の入荷状況であるが、この内一般消費者用として出回る数量約六十貫強と見て百匁七個平均では三千六百個の卵が一般小売商の手に入っている訳である。

所で現実の出回り状況は皆無といって良い状況である。府内百三十軒の鶏卵配給業者へは入荷数量の減少から毎日配給は行われていないが、一週間一回乃至二回の卸配給は行われているので、要約すれば鶏卵は小売商迄は確実に割り当てられているのである。

そこで末端配給として鶏卵の販売実状を小売組合商である府内花園町の一商店に訊ねると、

「一大体一週一回約三貫から五貫程度の配給を受けますが、入荷した際は店頭に何日何時から卵の販売を致しますと掲示を行い売っており、医者の証明書を持参された方には優先的に渡しています。一客二個三個を限度として販売しておりますが」、と中開きをした。卵の闇相場は現在一個三十銭前後で消費者には闇以外絶対に渡らないといわれている現状で、一般食料品店では卵の販売の実際は見当たらない現状である。ここで京畿道畜産物販売斡旋所佐藤主事に闇に横行する鶏卵の実状を訊ねる。

『現在闇に流れているという卵は京畿道農会から飼料の配給を受けていない近郊の鶏を飼っている農家から持ち込まれるように思います。之は当局の取締りを待つより外は有りませんが、本格の問題如何では今少し集荷の状況も好転するのではないでしょうか。鶏卵小売商では卵は情実流しをしているとの声もききますが、はっきりしたことは解りません。決戦下の時局に鑑み、卵は主として病人用として一般の方々が卵の消費を手控えてくれるなら、病人を抱えた本当に卵の必要な家庭へは応分に出回る位の出荷状況ですが、小売商の自覚と消費者の自省とに俟つよりは外ありません』

一般食料品として卵の使用はこの時局下正に贅沢品である以上切実に卵を求める家庭の病人特別食として何等かの適宜な統制が望まれる。

現在京城府民の食生活は全世界の戦う銃後にくらべてはるかに潤沢な出回りを見せているが、これをより一層活きた戦力の補給源として活用するには小売商の道義と消費者の自覚が強く望まれる所であり、当局の応急なる措置と相俟って、明朗なる決戦第三年への食生活の進撃譜が奏でられるのである（この項終り）【写真＝潤沢な出回りを見せる肉類販売店】

美しい美しい話

中区舟橋町第六区第五十四愛国班の椅子製造業大原清弘さんは常会で買った二円の弾丸切手が十月の抽籤で千円に当籤。十一月に割増金を貰ったので、紅白の幔幕四張を町会へ、常会用の座布団十五枚を愛国班へ寄付したところ、十一月の抽籤で又々百円に当籤。今月割増金を貰うことになったので、こんどは何処へ何を寄付しようかと町総代に智恵を借りているとは羨ましいような美しい話。

Minakai Department Store in Seoul featured a propaganda panoramic picture depicting New York City in flames from an Imperial Japanese air raid and President Roosevelt fainting out of panic, as part of a warplane donation campaign (September 1943)

This is my translation and transcription of a 'forward-looking' news article from Keijo Nippo, a propaganda newspaper and mouthpiece of the government of Japan-colonized Korea. It has never been republished or translated before, to the best of my knowledge. 

In September 1943, at the Minakai Department Store in Seoul, a panoramic picture was displayed depicting New York City in flames from an Imperial Japanese air raid, the residents stunned with broken noses from the exploding bombs and President Roosevelt fainting out of panic. 

Many historical revisionists claim that Imperial Japan would have never killed civilians or conducted air raids on the U.S. mainland if it had won World War II, but bellicose news articles like this one prove otherwise. In any case, by September 1943, the dream of invading the U.S. mainland, let alone conducting an air raid on New York City, had become impossibly out of reach for Imperial Japan as the Allies continued their string of victories.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) September 21, 1943

Roosevelt Faints and Collapses from Air Raids by the Japanese Military

Korean Peninsula's Sincere Dedication of 296 Aircraft

'Reinforcement-Themed' Air Exhibition

The striking 'reinforcement-themed' venue of the Minakai Department Store featured a panorama which was assembled assuming the following scenario: "An air raid warning was issued for New York City. Just as the echoes of the sirens faded from their eardrums, a crimson flame first rose over the Empire State Building as well as the buildings of the twentieth century celebrating a materialistic civilization. The roar of the exploding bombs broke the nasal bridges of the Yankees and turned the entire city of New York into a hellish battlefield. Roosevelt, the protagonist of the White House, who did not know what to do in the face of this thunderous air raid, was so panicked that he fainted and collapsed. The wings with the bright Hinomaru red circle emblems that flew overhead were clearly visible to the nighttime eye with each dive, and the bombing continued at a leisurely pace and with precise targeting while giving a sidelong glance at the stunned Yankees."

The venue was decorated with the production expansion of fire-breathing munitions factories and the donation of airplanes by the sincerity of the people of the nation. The wheels of the plant, which is now operating at full capacity, continue to dash forward on the road to "More production! More production!"

Meanwhile, the following is a list of donations of patriotic planes from the Korean peninsula which provide side reinforcement.

(Since the Greater East Asia War started - up to the day before Aviation Memorial Day) a total of 296 aircraft were built. Of these, there were 12 aircraft donated by individuals, which is a little sad and regrettable, 97 aircraft donated by counties (gun) alone, and 6 aircraft donated by townships (myeon) alone, which is praiseworthy like gemstones, and other donations made by companies, provinces, prefectures, and other organizations. As an example of what happens when a little dust accumulates into a mountain, if the total population of the Korean peninsula is 26 million, and if everyone saved one sen every day, then in one year we could collect 94.9 million yen and build 943 fighter planes costing 100,000 yen each.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-09-21

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年9月21日

日本軍の空襲にルーズベルト卒倒

半島赤誠の献納二九六機

航空展”増強篇”

”ニューヨークに空襲警報発令さる、サイレンの余韻が鼓膜から消えるその瞬間エンパイアビルディング外二十世紀の物質文明を謳歌するビル街に先ず真紅の焔が立ち上がった。爆弾の炸裂する轟音がヤンキーの鼻柱を折ってニューヨーク全市は阿鼻地獄の阿修羅場と化した。雷撃的空襲に施す術も知らず白堊館のル主人公は狼狽の極に達し卒倒した。上空に飛来した双翼の真赤な日の丸の標識が急降下の度毎に夜目にも鮮やかに眼に映り爆撃はうろたえるヤンキー共を尻目に悠々と適確なる照準で続けられる”といった想定のもとに組み立てたパノラマが眼をひく三中井の増強篇会場だ。

この会場を飾るものは火を吐く軍需工場の生産増強と国民の赤誠からなる飛行機献納である。今や超完全操業に拍車を掛ける工場の車輪は増産！増産！また増産の一路をひたぶるに驀進し続ける。

一方これに側面的増強を加える半島の愛国機献納表を見れば、

（大東亜戦以降ー航空日前日まで）総計二九六機。この中個人献納が聊かさびしい憾みがあるが十二機、郡単独の分が九十七機、あっぱれ珠玉の如き面単独の献納が六機、このほか会社、道、府等団体による献納である。塵もつもれば山となるの実例として半島総人口を二千六百万人とすれば毎日一銭づつ貯金すれば一年に九千四百九十万、十万円の戦闘機が九百四十三台造れるのだ。

Propaganda 'feel good story' praises Korean grandfather for finally accepting his grandson's voluntary enlistment in the Imperial Japanese air force, as it was 'not easy to persuade' him due to his 'having lived through half a century of complicated historical changes' (Dongdaemun Seoul, 1943)

This is my translation and transcription of a news article from Keijo Nippo, a propaganda newspaper and mouthpiece of the government of Japan-colonized Korea. This has never been republished or translated before, to the best of my knowledge.

This is a propaganda story of a Korean grandfather who finally approves of his grandson voluntarily enlisting in the Imperial Japanese air force. The aviator's family members in this story all appear to have Japanese names except his mother Aji. We could surmise that their Korean surname was Kim, as their Japanese surname Kaneda contains the Hanja for Kim. 

As we have seen in other articles, this story plays on the stereotype that Koreans have excessive filial piety, often described as 'Korean Confucianism', which supposedly prevents them from serving in the armed forces for the good of the whole country.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) September 18, 1943

His grandfather is now a big supporter

Kaneda's parents cheer on their aviator child

The family was waiting for Mr. Kaneda Mitsunaga, who was flying in, embraced by his two shining wings, on a sunny visit to his hometown at 72-132 Sungin-dong, Dongdaemun District. His father Kichihei (48), his mother Aji (아지/阿只) (47), his older brother Morinaga (25), his older sister Masako (married off), and aunt Masuko imagined Mitsunaga magnificently appearing in the clear autumn sky as they shouted, 'My son! My brother!' Talking to each other about this joyous day, they were gathered at the edge of the yard around his nephew Nobutake (4), who was holding a model airplane in his hand and excitedly shouting "Airplane! Airplane!"

The Kaneda family gathered around four-year-old Nobutake who is holding a model airplane.

Just three months after Mitsunaga left Kyungbock Middle School having attended only three years, and shrugging off the reluctance of some of his relatives, he was in his military uniform with his military cap and collar insignia of a youth airman, calling out "Follow me, junior soldiers". This sunny flight for a hometown visit was a dream come true.

It was not easy to persuade Mitsunaga's grandfather about his voluntary enlistment, since his grandfather had lived through half a century of complicated historical changes. Mitsunaga said that he would atone for his temporary lack of filial piety to his grandfather by making up for it with his determination and loyalty to his ancestral land in a time of crisis.

I believe that it was ultimately his mother's words of understanding that gave strong encouragement to her son's passion for the sky. When his grandfather beheld Mitsunaga's dignified and energetic appearance during his visit this summer, his grandfather gave his full approval. The family was very happy to welcome Mitsunaga on board the plane. [Photo: Mr. Kaneda's joyous family at his home]

Airplane Donation Campaign

Aviation Memorial Day

Launched at Shimonoseki

[Shimonoseki Telephone Report] On the 20th, for Aviation Memorial Day, lecture meetings were held at five Soldier Training Centers in Shimonoseki starting at 7:00 p.m. Amid a series of extremely harsh air battles, we hardened our resolve to send as many airplanes and people as possible to the front line and take to the skies to fight decisive battles, and an explosive movement was launched for the donation of airplanes.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-09-18

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年9月18日

祖父、今じゃ大賛成

翼の子に歓声あがる金田君実家

晴れの郷土訪問に輝く双翼に抱かれて飛び来る一人金田光永君を待ちあぐむ、東大門区崇仁町七二ノ一三二に我が子、我が弟の壮姿を澄み切った秋空に描く父、吉平氏（四八）、母、阿只さん（四七）、兄、守永氏（二五）、姉、正子さん（出嫁）、叔母増子さんを訪えば庭先に一家揃って模型飛行機を手にしながら『ヒコウキ』『ヒコウキ』とはしゃぐ甥宣武君（四つ）を真中にして喜びの日を語り合うのだった。

光永が景福中学を三年だけで切り上げ近親の一部の気乗りしない態度を振り切って門出して僅か三ヶ月後、軍帽に少年航空兵の襟章も輝かしい軍服姿で”後輩よ我に続け”と呼びかけ、今また晴れの郷土訪問飛行とは夢のようです。

光永の志願について祖父さんは半世紀の複雑な歴史の転換を中に生きてきただけに説得することは容易ではありませんでした。光永は祖父さんに対する一時の不孝は祖国の危急に赴く決意と尽忠の至誠とをもって充分償いますといっていました。

そうした中には始終我が子の空への熱魂に強い激励を与えたものは母親の理解ある言葉であったと思います。今夏訪れた光永君の凛々しくはきはきした姿にその祖父もすっかり大賛成となったのです。そうして空の機上に光永を迎えるとのことで一家はあげてこの喜びです。【写真＝喜びに沸く金田君の実家】

翼献納の運動

航空記念日

下関に展開

【下関電話】二十日の航空記念日、下関市内の五壮丁錬成所では午後七時から各錬成所一斉に講演会を開催。凄愴苛烈な航空決戦を繰り返す今日、一機でも一人でも多く前線に送ろう。我等決戦の大空へ征かんの決意を固むると共に爆発的な飛行機献納運動を展開することとなった。

Colonial authorities discussed how to reduce prenatal/infant mortality rates in the midst of severe 1943 wartime food shortages, declaring that the Korean children belong to Imperial Japan and not to the mother, who must raise them into future soldiers and leaders of the Co-prosperity Sphere

This is my translation and transcription of three news articles from Keijo Nippo, a propaganda newspaper and mouthpiece of the government of Japan-colonized Korea. They have never been republished or translated before, to the best of my knowledge. They provide a revealing glimpse into the desperate suffering of the nursing babies, infants, and mothers of Korea amid the tremendous stresses of World War II.

Over three days (three parts) in May 1943, the newspaper gathered together a panel of experts from the medical field, schools, social welfare departments, and the colonial government to discuss how to reduce prenatal and infant mortality rates. 

In the first part, they discussed ways to increase the population of Imperial Japan by reducing miscarriages, throwing around ideas like lowering the marriage age, prioritizing food rations for pregnant women, instituting maternal leave, promoting delivery in hospitals, and controlling tuberculosis.

In the second part, they discussed mothers and children suffering from food shortages (baby formula, eggs, dairy milk, fish, tofu, etc.), and prioritizing food rationing to expectant and nursing mothers with doctor's certificates, promoting breast milk, and teaching dental hygiene using salt or toothpaste to brush teeth, concluding with a declaration that infants are the property of the nation.

In the third part, more politically charged than the previous two parts, they discussed 'proper' child rearing practices and children's spiritual education, emphasizing that the mother should adopt a faithful devotion to all household as a form of devotion to the Emperor, that the 'previously prevailing individualistic and liberal attitude on children's education must be abandoned', and children must worship at the kamidana (small Shinto altar) every morning.

I have not done a thorough fact check of all the medical advice in these old articles, but needless to say that they should all be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism, as several pieces of advice already look pretty suspect first glance, especially their tips on raising children. 

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) May 1, 1943

Child Protection Roundtable Discussion (Sponsored by the newspaper head office) (Part 1 of 3)

Give birth to 100 million more people!

Pregnant women are not comfortable with queuing up to buy things

Participants:

• Dr. Hata (Department of Gynecology, Seoul University)
• Dr. Amano (Department of Law and Literature, Seoul University)
• Dr. Hironaka (Department of Pediatrics, Seoul Medical Center)
• Dr. Yao (Seoul Dental College)
• Ms. Su'e Aiko (Green Banner League)
• Ms. Yajima Seiko (Seoul Friends Association)
• Ms. Kim Jin-jeong (김진정/金珎禎) (Patriotic Women's Association, Korea Headquarters)
• Ms. Dr. Tomura Kimiko (Medical doctor)
• Ms. Choi Yang-yo (최양요/崔良窯) (Gyeonggi Girls' High School)
• Mr. Nagai (Director of Social Affairs Division, Governor-General's Office)
• Mr. Iwasa (Social Affairs Division, Governor-General's Office)
• Mr. Ōtsuka (Director of the Korean Social Work Association)
• Mr. Kojima (Director, Welfare Department, Korean Federation of National Power)
• Mr. Jeong (Director of the Editorial Bureau for Mainichi Shimbun)
• Mr. Hong (Director of Social Affairs Department of Mainichi Shimbun)
• Mr. Mine (Director of Social Affairs Department, Keijo Nippo Head Office), Mr. Suzuki, (Director of Business Department, Keijo Nippo Head Office), and Mr. Kagawa (Reporter, Keijo Nippo Head Office)

This year, too, from the 1st to the 10th, the People's Health Campaign will be held simultaneously in all of Korea. The Korean Social Work Association, in cooperation with the Korean Federation of National Power and the Social Work Associations of the provinces, will launch the "Child Protection Campaign". To spearhead the campaign, the Keijo Nippo head office held a "Child Protection Roundtable Discussion" as follows, inviting authoritative figures from various fields on the issues of nursing babies, infants, and women.

Mr. Nagai: For ten days from May 1, the Healthy People Movement will be conducted through various organizations, and the results of the Healthy People/Healthy Troops Movement have been spectacularly achieved with the collective consensus of 100 million people fighting a decisive battle. This month, we would like to hear your opinions from all of you about protecting children. The moderator is Dr. Amano. Dr. Amano, your thoughts?

Dr. Amano: The situation of the Greater East Asia War is becoming increasingly serious, and we need to think more deeply about childbirth and child rearing. The first and foremost issue is to give birth to many strong children. Since this is the only way, I believe that providing guidance on how to protect pregnant and nursing mothers is the first issue to be considered when discussing wartime life. Let's start with Dr. Hata.

Dr. Hata: During the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Greater East Asia War, a large number of people were mobilized to the front lines, and in order to replenish this number, it is necessary to greatly increase the number of people behind the front lines. The reason why ancient Greece and Egypt were in such a state in the past is because of their excessive culture and misplaced population growth. What about the people of Japan? Japan is surrounded by the following countries. Across the Pacific Ocean is the United States with a population of 130 million. To the west is the Soviet Union, with a population of 170 million and the world's highest population growth rate. China has 400 million people. In order to establish an East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere in the midst of such a situation, Japan must further increase its population.

In January 1941, the government established the Outline for the Establishment of Population Policy, which stated that Japan must produce 100 million people by 1960, and that each family should have at least five children. In Japan, however, the birth rate was 36.2 per 1,000 in 1920, 30.6 per 1,000 in 1937, and 26.7 per 1,000 in 1938, but as a result of the cooperation of the government, doctors, and others, the rate has gradually improved. The situation has been improved by the people's awareness and the improvement of various institutions to prevent deaths, increase births, and prevent the transmission of tuberculosis to nursing babies and infants.

The age of marriage is being advanced to three years earlier within the next ten years, and in mainland Japan, the lending of marriage and childbirth funds is being discussed, and various facilities are being established to ensure healthy childbirths. According to an announcement by the Japan Gynecological Society in 1940, a survey of fetal deaths, assuming that the total number of conceptions in a year was 2 million, showed that there were 86,000 spontaneous abortions in the third month of pregnancy, which is four times the total number of births in Kyoto in a year, and over 50,000 stillbirths in the tenth month of pregnancy, which is the total number of births in Kyoto and Nagoya in a year. That means that 280,000 people are being lost between the first and tenth months of pregnancy, which is quite astonishing.

The high number of premature births, especially before delivery, is especially thought-provoking. We should use our efforts to prevent premature births, educate mothers about motherhood, and ensure the mental and physical health of mothers. In a nutshell, there is no other way to feed pregnant and nursing mothers than to prioritize them over healthier people by giving them more food rations.

Miscarriages can be caused by excessive labor, sexually transmitted diseases, endometritis, or a deficiency of progestin or vitamins, so it is essential to seek professional medical care at an early stage. Early treatment is essential to avoid miscarriage and to ensure a safe delivery.

Dr. Amano: Now that we have discussed the issue of overwork among women, I would like to hear your thoughts about this.

Dr. Hata: Statistics show that more than 50% of working women have irregular menstruation, and this is particularly high in printing factories, where 30% of pregnancies end in miscarriages. Of the 70% of pregnancies which end in delivery, 20% of the babies die due to weakness, which is a very serious problem, and it is necessary to protect working women and professional women. In mainland Japan, there are mandatory resting periods to provide adequate rest, and I think this is something that should be considered in the near future in Korea as well.

Dr. Amano: I guess shopping queues are not good for pregnant women these days.

Dr. Hata: They are not good at all. In mainland Japan, it seems that pregnant women are given priority in the distribution of food rations, and people are willing to give up their rights to each other in the queue.

Dr. Amano: Is it because of the lack of manpower? Something must be done about this. 

Dr. Hata: The winter months are worse than the summer months, and there have been cases of miscarriages due to the passage of several hours.

Dr. Amano: If women are in the workforce for a long period of time　as the war drags on, they will enter a wider range of men's professions. If employers do not pay enough attention to their health in consideration of their employment, they may miscarry after pregnancy, or die soon after birth. What is the situation in mainland Japan?

Dr. Hata: As a result of the January 1941 regulations, mandatory rest and dormitory facilities seem to be going relatively well.

Dr. Tomura: At any rate, housewives nowadays bear an excessive burden in terms of air defense, patriotic organization events, and other household chores. There is a lot to consider about pregnancy and child rearing after delivery. I believe there is room for further investigation into the relationship between food and nutrition.

Ms. Kim: I always think about professional women. Some of them have miscarriages because they push themselves too hard before giving birth, and some of them fall into unexpected serious conditions due to lack of medical care after childbirth, partly because they cannot receive adequate treatment at hospitals. Because the family's finances do not allow it, these failures are repeated, and precious human resources are lost.

Dr. Amano: In case of air raids, there is also the problem of how to treat pregnant women. How would you deal with such limitations?

Dr. Hata: I believe that it is better to evacuate the pregnant women until the seventh month, but not after that. The high rate of deliveries that take place at home instead of in hospitals is also a problem that should be given considerable thought. The number of deaths due to unexpected accidents and abnormal pregnancies during childbirth is over 100,000. At hospitals, the fetal death rate due to unexpected accidents is 0.6%, whereas it is 1.2% at home. At hospitals, the rate of breech births is 15%, whereas it is 30% at home. The rate of death is high due to inadequate treatment for neonatal asphyxia. Therefore, it is important that abnormal pregnancies be handled in hospitals and maternity hospitals as much as possible, from the standpoint of increasing the population. For this purpose, we need to build more maternity hospitals and other facilities that allow hospitalization at low cost. Otherwise, we will not be able to fully achieve our goal. 

[Photo: Roundtable discussion]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-05-01

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) May 2, 1943

Child Protection Roundtable Discussion (Sponsored by the newspaper head office) (Part 2 of 3)

Strong children come from healthy mothers

Weaning indigestion is frightening

Dr. Amano: What are your opinions on the protection of nursing babies and infants? What about artificial nutrition? What about the current food supply? Dr. Hironaka, your thoughts on this?

Dr. Hironaka: The infant mortality rate is high, especially for newborns. The death rate is particularly high for infants who are weak at birth, have weak vitality, or are born prematurely, so this has a close relationship with obstetrics and gynecology. As mentioned earlier, the nutritional condition of the pregnant woman is closely connected to vitamins and hormones, as well as genetics. You can say that, if the mother is strong, the child is also strong. Various postnatal disorders can be prevented to a great extent by the mother being attentive.

The main factor in preventing illness in infants is how to feed them, and formula feeding has a higher morbidity rate than breast milk. The first step is to feed the mother's milk. However, recently the use of formula feeding has increased dramatically. I don't know if it's because of the shortage of the mother's milk, but the use of powdered and blended milk substitutes has increased. Moreover, there is a shortage of these substitutes these days, which is a serious problem from a national perspective, and infants' food should be given more consideration than that of adults.

In addition, there seems to be a shortage of pacifiers, which also needs to be considered. Secondly, there is a high mortality rate among infants during the weaning period after they grow bigger. This is due to the way food is fed, and should be considered more seriously than the problem of artificial nutrition. Eating at this age is truly difficult. They easily have diarrhea. In addition, mothers are suffering from the lack of eggs, small fish, tofu, and other foods. If babies overdo it and suffer from indigestion, they can hardly survive these days. Even if they do survive, the effects will be felt later on when they are older. I would like you to consider this and give sufficient thought to the distribution of food rations.

Dr. Amano: It is very difficult to raise children these days, isn't it?

Mr. Nagai: It seems that there are no eggs or tofu. Milk, curd, and powdered milk are also limited these days because of the shortage, but we issue tickets in the cities, towns, and townships to those who need them who have a doctor's certificate, so please apply for them without delay. In addition, cotton cloths for expectant and nursing mothers are also preferentially distributed to those with a doctor's certificate.

Ms. Su'e: Speaking of breast milk, when my first child was born, I had a lot of breast milk, but with my second child, I was a little emotionally upset, so I had no breast milk at all. Perhaps there is a relationship with food and emotions?

Dr. Hata: At least half of the time, it has a great deal to do with mental effects. Also, when there is a shortage of breast milk, we try to give them dairy milk, but even then there may only be three gō (0.54 liters) or five gō (0.90 liters) of dairy milk to give them, the milk shipment may only come at 9 or 10, around 4 in the afternoon, or never. We are troubled by this, but we would like to get this done right somehow. There is also no bread, potato starch, etc. I would like to make a loud appeal on these points from the standpoint of child protection.

Dr. Amano: How is the growth of the fetus affected by meals?

Dr. Hata: According to last year's statistics, there does not seem to be much of a relationship. Even if you look at the pregnant women in the lower classes, there is no significant effect on the fetus.

Dr. Amano: Insufficient nutrition of the mother and fetus and inadequate food for the infant cause many difficulties, but what about the teeth of the mother and child? Dr. Yao, please go ahead.

Dr. Yao: In Germany, children born after the last World War had bad teeth due to the extreme shortage of food supplies, and this is a problem that we have to think carefully about. Since tooth decay causes various diseases and causes a high mortality rate, if the distribution system is not smooth like nowadays, this result will appear in a few years, even if this problem does not appear now. Then this would mean that Japan will be following in the footsteps of Germany, and we will need to conduct good research into how these problems will manifest themselves in the future. Baby teeth grow from six months to two years of age, and permanent teeth grow from six to eight years of age. Many people think that it does not matter how many decayed baby teeth there are, but this is a serious mistake. When baby teeth have cavities, the permanent teeth that come in later are weakened, causing irregular dentition. This can also lead to the inability to take in sufficient nutrition in the future. Therefore, in order to have healthy permanent teeth, it is important to take good care of the baby teeth.

Pregnant women should also take care to nourish their children and ensure that they have healthy teeth. As Dr. Hironaka mentioned earlier, breastfeeding is better than artificial nutrition, and this is also true from the standpoint of dentistry. This is why rubber nipples for artificial feeding are not a good idea. When a nursing baby feeds on breast milk, it makes a sweaty effort and the mouth and neck become filled with blood, which stimulates the development of the cervical bone, and the baby grows smoothly. In this sense, breastfeeding is the best.

Dr. Amano: I see. That means that baby teeth are not to be treated as a trivial matter.

Dr. Yao: That's right. There is no better way to treat cavities in baby teeth than to treat them as soon as possible. If it is in the early stages of decay, it can be filled with cement, and the cost will be lower. As for the cost, as I mentioned earlier, there are many cases where the costs for pregnant and nursing mothers do not go so well due to hospitalization. The other day, I went back to my hometown (Okayama) for a short while, and there, the prefectural government provides health insurance and hospitalization at a very low cost. For example, when my father was hospitalized, the hospitalization fee was 50 yen and the food cost was 1.20 yen, so the hospital services were much appreciated and used by the villagers. I would like to see this expanded in Korea as well. Next to the basic prevention of cavities, if you follow the second preventive method of using a toothbrush to remove food debris, you can be sure that you will never get a cavity. However, it is necessary to use the toothbrush in the correct way. You must use the brush in the "vertical" position. It is a big mistake to say that you should brush in the morning but not at night, because doing it at night before going to bed is the most effective way to prevent cavities.

Dr. Tomura: What is the difference between using salt and using toothpaste?

Dr. Yao: There is not much of a difference.

Dr. Amano: What about the education of young children at Seoul Friends Association?

Ms. Yajima: Yes, we have a group called "Friends Association" for children who will go to the National School (elementary school) next year (Tuesday group) and those who will be 5 or 6 years old (Wednesday group). The children attend once a week at Mr. Kojima's home. We also put a lot of effort into teaching them how to brush their teeth. At five or six years of age, children like to show themselves off to other people, so we take advantage of this psychology to have them do things together, so that it becomes a great encouragement for them. 

Dr. Amano: Ms. Choi, you seem to have raised many excellent children in spite of your busy schedule. Do you have any special methods to share?

Ms. Choi: In spite of my busy work at school (as a teacher), all three of my children have grown up to be strong and healthy. I am very careful when raising babies, but I think the most important thing is to feed them milk at the right time from the very beginning. Since it would inconvenience me at work when they sleep during the day and remain awake during the night, I asked my nanny to not let them sleep during the day as much as possible, to enforce the habit of sleeping well at night. I think that a well-regulated lifestyle is the special method for preventing illness.

Dr. Hironaka: That is a very good story.

Dr. Amano: So-called well-educated women do not always raise strong, good children, and there are a few examples of women who are not so well-educated but have done a great job of raising good children to bear the fruit of child protection. What kind of mother is considered a good mother? Dr. Hironaka, your thoughts?

Dr. Hironaka: In other words, children grow up well because they are raised well, and there are many women who do not understand this point very well. [laughter]

Mr. Nagai: There are also women who are self-centered in the way they soothe their babies. [laughter]

Ms. Kim: Since the mortality rate is high in Korea, I wish there were more nursing baby and infant care centers. I would like to see university hospitals and medical centers, including Asahi Medical Center, Japan Red Cross Hospital, and other hospitals, provide facilities for nursing babies and infants for thorough prevention and treatment, as well as attached maternity hospitals. The rise and fall of a nation depend on its infants, and even if they are born from the mother's bosom, they are not the property of the individual, but rather they are the property of the nation.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-05-02

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) May 3, 1943

Child Protection Roundtable Discussion (Sponsored by the newspaper head office) (Part 3 of 3)

Mothers, be strict with your children

Children should not be shy or timid

Mr. Iwasa: The Governor-General's Office has been distributing a child-rearing calendar since January of this year. It is extremely detailed so that even first-time mothers can understand tips for pregnant women, childbirth and child-rearing methods by month, early treatment for illness, etc.

Ms. Su'e: Every Tuesday, the Green Banner League holds a nursing baby and infant counseling session at Chōjiya Japanese restaurant, and it has been a success every time. As of December, a total of 554 children have been examined. The number of consultations was 306: 110 consultations on breastfeeding, 18 consultations on artificial nutrition, and 177 consultations on weaning. In addition to distributing this infant calendar, we are researching how to prepare food for weaning, how to use clothes, how to make underwear, and so on, since there are supply shortages.

Ms. Yajima: How to spend the winter season is also a major issue, and we are collecting statistics among our members on whether it is better to use a warm ondol room or a stove because of the fuel shortages. Among active measures, infant exercises are also good, and I think it is also good for mothers to help their children do these exercises.

Mr. Ōtsuka: Last year we held a "Mother and Child Exhibition" for one week and it was packed, and this year we will hold it again with different content at the Ikueikai Educational Society. This year, we will hold a new lecture on childcare, and on the 7th, there will be a lecture by Dr. Izumi from Seoul University, and a movie night at the Seoul Citizens Hall.

Dr. Amano: Now I would like to turn to the issue of spiritual education for children.

Mr. Mine (Director of Social Affairs Department): Today, the issue of nursing babies and infants must be considered not only from the perspective of humanity, but also from the perspective of the nation - that is, the nation as a whole. Children up to the age of six should not be spoiled, selfish, shy, or depressed. The child demanded by the nation must be a strong, cheerful child who is able to grow and develop. I believe that there is such a thing as a small child with beautiful behavior and a lovely heart. If not, it is the mother's fault. It can be said that the environment around them made them that way. For example, a child who breaks a shōji (paper sliding door) is a result of the mother's slovenliness. A child who is shy around others is also not healthy.

Dr. Amano: As you just said, a mother's attitude is certainly important. They are the children of the nation, so they need to be trained.

Ms. Su'e: A mother's faithful devotion to all household chores, from morning to night, means that she is dedicated to His Majesty. I believe that the Japanese way of discipline is to bow down to His Majesty's side.

Dr. Amano: I believe that there is a certain way to discipline children who are shy or timid, who will be of no use as the future leaders of the co-prosperity sphere. How do you deal with this at Seoul Friends Association?

Ms. Yajima: At Seoul Friends Association, we are often told that we do not scold our children enough, but our principle is that we want the children to notice us.

Dr. Amano: I believe that the previously prevailing individualistic and liberal attitude on children's education must be abandoned in favor of a more holistic and nationalistic approach. What kinds of opinions do Korean people have on this?

Ms. Kim: I have heard from women's groups from the provinces that, ever since the announcement of the conscription order, the basic ideas held by Korean children have completely changed, they have discovered a sense of purpose that they can become great soldiers of the Imperial Japanese military, and they are very happy about it. I would like to see the children thoroughly imbued with a sense of mission at this time.

Dr. Amano: Then there is the problem of children's toys. Due to the scarcity of materials, we seem to be seeing some very poor quality toys. What kind of toys do you recommend, Dr. Hironaka?

Dr. Hironaka: First of all, they should be injury-proof. Poor quality paint is also dangerous. Educational toys are also important.

Ms. Su'e: As for how to give toys to children, I think that if you give toys to children on a day of national significance, such as the Tenchō's Festival (the Emperor's Birthday) or New Year's Day, they will be more inclined to cherish the toys. There is a custom of giving toys as mere souvenirs, but I think this is the worst thing you can do.

Mr. Hong: I would like to see some kind of control over this practice, because inferior toys are made by merchants for their own profit. They cost two or three yen and break immediately. The psychological impact on a child's mind is so serious that I have decided not to buy such toys for the past several years.

Mr. Mine: I am glad to see that there is more ingenuity and structure in the world of children, as the little ones at my place have been cleverly combining building blocks and the Chinese Checkers board to play games consistent with the times, such as pretending to sink U.S. warships.

Ms. Yajima: If you put colored paper on an empty box or a honeycomb box, it can be used as a doll house or as a train, and it is very useful.

Ms. Choi: Recently at my house, we have stopped using dolls, and my children are holding pillows and calling them their babies. [laughter]

Ms. Kim: I hope there will be an institute for research and guidance on child psychology. There have been many cases where children have become delinquents because they were not given proper guidance. I hope that the Governor-General's Office will consider setting up an institute for this kind of psychological guidance in addition to the awards for excellent children.

Dr. Amano: In order to raise children to be physically strong and mentally strong, I think we should put more soul into their spiritual education. What is the best way to infuse strong spirituality into children?

How should we deal with children not only in national school education, but also at home? For example, we should lead a disciplined life by worshiping at the kamidana altar every morning, or we should naturally reflect this into our children by showing the strict attitude of parents who do not allow their spirit to be disturbed. If parents themselves maintain a winning attitude and strong spirit, their children will naturally follow them. According to the conventional school survey statistics in Japan, children from families that are financially very well off do not perform that well in school, while those from middle-class or lower-class families are actually more likely to produce upright individuals. I believe this is the result of parents who were not able to live up to their own expectations in their own lives, so they reflect a strict mentality onto their own children, wanting their children to live up to the parents' own expectations, and this propels their children forward. I think we have run out of time, so we will close this discussion.  =End=

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-05-03

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年5月1日

児童愛護座談会　本社主催　（上）

生み出せあと一億

妊婦に障ります”行列買い”

出席者：

秦博士（城大婦人科）

天野博士（城大法文学部）

弘中博士（京城医専小児科）

矢尾博士（京城歯科医専）

須江愛子女史（緑旗聯盟）

矢島セイ子女史（京城友の会）

金珎禎女史（日婦朝鮮本部）

戸村金子女史（女医）

崔良窯女史（京畿高女）

永井総督府社会課長

岩佐同圏

大塚朝鮮社会事業協会主事

児島朝鮮聯盟厚生部理事

鄭毎新編輯局長

洪同社会部長

本社側：嶺社会部長、鈴木事業部長、香川記者

今年も一日から十日まで全鮮一斉に健民運動が実施される。朝鮮社会事業協会では聯盟及び道社会事業協会と協力『児童愛護運動』を展開するが、本社では愛護運動の先鞭をつけ、乳幼児婦人問題の各界権威者の参集をもとめ、次のように『児童愛護座談会』を催した。

永井：五月一日から十日間に亘って健民運動が各機関を通じて実施され、決戦下一億国民の総意を盛って華々しい健民健兵の実が挙げられますが、本月はここに児童愛護について皆さんから御意見を拝聴いたしたく思います。司会は天野先生どうぞ。

天野博士：大東亜戦争の様相も漸時深刻になって例えば出産育児の方面でも間々深く考えなければならないと思います。何といっても先決問題は丈夫な子を沢山産む。これしかないのでして妊産婦の保護指導こそは戦時生活を語る上に最初の問題になると思います。先ず秦先生から。

秦博士：支那事変、大東亜戦を通じて前線には大量に動員をみており、これが補充を図るためには銃後に於いてはウンと人口増殖を図らねばなりません。昔ギリシャやエジプトが何故ああいう状態になったかといえば、行き過ぎた文化から人口増殖を誤った處に原因しています。では日本の人々はどうなっているか。それは太平洋の彼方には一億三千万の人口を有するアメリカがあり、西には一億七千万の人口を有し、人口増殖率世界一というソ連あり、支那四億という国々に囲繞されている。その真っ只中にあって日本は東亜共栄圏を確立するためには人口の増殖は一段と要請されなければならない。

昭和十六年一月政府の定めた人口政策確立要綱によって昭和三十五年までに一億の人口を作らねばならないし、一家族に五人以上の子女を持つようとのお達示です。ところが我が国では大正九年千人に付き三六・二人の出生率が昭和十二年には千人に対し三〇・六人、同十三年に千人に対し二六・七人という数字を示したが、政府と医者その他が協力した結果、現在では漸時良好となっています。死亡を防ぎ出産を増やし、乳幼児の結核伝染を防ぐ等民衆の自覚と諸機関の充実で面目を一新しています。

結婚年齢も十年以内に三年は早めさせる目標で進んでおり、内地では結婚資金、出産資金貸与の方法も講ぜられて、健康な出産を望む諸施設が設けられている。昭和十五年、日本婦人科学会の発表によると、一年受胎総数を二百万として胎児死亡数を調査したところ、妊娠三月での自然流産が八万六千人で、これは京都市の一年間の総出産数の四倍に相当し、妊娠十月の死産が五万余りで、これは京都市、名古屋市の一年の総出産数に相当する。妊娠一月から十月までの間に二十八万人失われることとなり、今更驚くべきものがあります。

特に出産前の早産の数の多いことは考えさせられるが、早産の予防、母性の教育に意を用い、母性の精神的肉体的の健全を計るべきです。妊産婦の食事を簡単に話すと丈夫な人を制して妊産婦に先に多く配給する以外にはない。

流産の原因には過度の労働や花柳病、内膜炎によるもの、黄体ホルモン、ビタミンの欠乏によるものなどもあり、早期に専門医の治療を受けることが肝要です。初期なれば流産しないで無事分娩まで導くことが出来ます。

天野博士：只今婦人の過労の問題が出ましたが、之について一つ。

秦博士：統計では職業婦人には月経不順が多く五〇％以上であり、印刷工場には特に多く、妊娠しても三〇％は流産するという統計が出ております。生れた七〇％の中二〇％が弱質のため死亡するといった状況で相当考えさせられる問題であり、労働婦人や職業婦人を愛護する必要があります。内地では充分な休養を与えるためには強制休養等もあり、朝鮮でも早晩考えられていい事だと思います。

天野博士：昨今買い物行列は妊婦などにもいけないでしょうね。

秦博士：全くよくないです。内地では妊婦には優先的に配給するとか行列の中でお互いが譲り合う事が巧く行っているようですが。

天野博士：人手が足りないためからでしょうか。何とかせねばならないことですね。

秦博士：夏分よりとくに冬期が悪く、数時間経った為に流産した例もあります。

天野博士：長期戦に亘るといきおい、職業婦人が男子の分野に進出する領域も広くなるわけですから、就職に当っても使用者の側で考慮して健康に充分注意せぬと妊娠しても流産したり、折角生れても直ぐ死亡するといったことになるのではありませんか。内地の方ではどうしていますか。

秦博士：昭和十六年一月の規定が設けられた結果、強制休養や寄宿舎の設備等割に良く行っているようです。

戸村女史：兎に角、昨今は家庭にあっても防空関係、愛国班行事その他家事一切主婦の負担は過重で、妊娠中も出産後の育児についても考えさせられることは多く、食べ物と栄養の関係に就いても何とか考究の余地があるように思います。

金女史：私は職業婦人について常に思うんですが、妊娠してお産の前に無理をしたため流産したり、出産後の養生不足から思わぬ重態に陥る者もあり、病院での治療が充分に受けられぬためもあるようです。家庭の経済が許さぬため、かかる失敗を繰り返して尊い人的資源を失います。

天野博士：空襲の場合、妊婦をどう処置するかといった問題もあり、その限度についておよそ如何に扱うかですが。

秦博士：七月位までは非難させた方がよいが、それ以後の者は非難させぬ方が良いと思います。それからお産が病院で出来ず自宅でやる率の多いことも相当考えさせられる問題で、分娩の際、突発事故や異常妊娠による死亡約十万以上にのぼり、突発事故による胎児死亡は病院では〇・六％、自宅では倍の一・二％、逆児分娩では病院分娩一五％自宅では倍の三〇％であります。之は仮死の手当不充分なため死亡する率が高いのであります。それで異常妊娠は出来るだけ病院や産院でなされることは人口増殖の立前から重要なことと思います。そのためには産院などを多く建て廉い費用で入院出来る設備がほしいものです。でないと目的が充分達せられません。【写真＝座談会】

京城日報　1943年5月2日

児童愛護座談会　本社後援　（中）

強い子は健母から

恐ろしいのは離乳期の消化不良

天野博士：乳幼児の育成保護について御意見をどうぞ。それに関連して人工栄養はどうか。現在の食糧はどうか、等に就いて弘中先生に一つ。

弘中博士：乳児時代は死亡率が高いんですが特に生れたてが高い。生れ乍らに体が弱いとか、生活力が微弱であるとか、早産児等がとくに死ぬわけで、これには産婦人科との関係が深い。妊婦の栄養の状態とか先程のお話にもありましたビタミン、ホルモンの関係とか、遺伝的関係も特に深いわけです。母が丈夫なら先ず大体子も丈夫といってよい。生後の色々な障害は母親の注意一つで相当防げるものと思います。

乳児の病気を防ぐには主に食物の与え方一つで人口補乳は母乳に比べると罹病率が高い。先ず母の乳を飲ませることです。處が近頃は人口栄養が非常に増えた。母乳の不足からか知らぬが代用粉乳、煉乳が多い。しかも昨今はこの代用品も品不足で国家的な見地から由々しき問題で、乳児の食物については大人の食物以上に考慮を払うべきです。

それから最近は『乳首』の品不足をみているようですが、これについても一考を要します。次に乳児が大きくなって離乳期の幼児の死亡率が高い。これは食物の『与え方』に依るもので、人工栄養の問題以上に深刻に考えて戴きたい。この頃の食事は真に難しい。すぐ腹をこわす。それに昨今は卵、魫、豆腐などがなくてお母さん方も苦しんでいます。無理をして消化不良を起こすと、この頃は殆ど助からぬ。助かっても後々大きくなってから影響が大きい。この辺を考慮し配給関係についても充分考えてほしいものです。

天野博士：成程昨今では子供を育てるのも大変ですね。

永井氏：卵、豆腐は無いようですね。牛乳や、煉乳、粉乳も昨今は品不足だから制限はしていますが、府邑面で切符を出し医者の証明で是非入要な向には町会を経て配給していますから手落なく申請して下さい。その他妊産婦用の綿布の如きも証明書で優先的に配給しています。

須江女史：母乳の話ですが、私は上の子が生れた際は乳も多かったんですが、次の時ちょっとした動揺を受けたらさっぱり出なくなった経験がございますが、食べ物や気分の関係があるんじゃないでしょうか。

秦博士：少なくとも半分位は精神作用が大いに影響します。また母乳不足の時牛乳を飲ませようとしても昨今は三合か五合、それも九時や十時に来たり午後四時頃届けたり、或いは全く無かったり等で弱ってるんですが、これは何とかキチンとやって貰いたいものです。それにパン、片栗等も無い。これらの点児童愛護の建前から声を大にして訴えたいのです。

天野博士：食事による胎児の発育状態は。

秦博士：昨年度の統計をみましても余り関係はないようです。下層階級の妊婦についてみても胎児に大して影響はないのです。

天野博士：母胎の栄養不充分とか幼児の食物不充分とかで色色と困難が伴いますが、産婦や子供の歯はどんなものでしょうか。矢尾先生どうぞ。

矢尾博士：独逸では前大戦後極端な物資不足から生れた子供の歯が悪かったのですが、これは我々としても相当考えさせられる問題だと思います。虫歯から色々な病気を引き起こし死亡率も高いものですから、昨今のように配給機構が不円滑ですと今は現れなくても数年後にこの結果が現れると、すると日本も独逸の轍を踏むことになるので、どういう状態で現れるかということをよく研究しなくてはなりません。乳歯は生後六ヶ月から二年まで生え永久歯は六歳から八歳までに生えるのですが、世間一般には乳歯の虫歯はいくらあっても構わんと考える向が多いのですが、これは大変な間違いで、乳歯がムシばまれると後に生える永久歯が弱くなり、不整歯列等の原因ともなり、将来充分な栄養も摂れぬ結果となります。ですから健康な永久歯を得るためには乳歯を大切にすることです。

又子供の為に妊婦は栄養を摂って健康な歯を作ることに心掛くべきで、このように前以て準備することが大切で後からではもう遅い。人工栄養より母乳によって育てよ、とは先程弘中先生からもお話がありましたが、歯科の方からもそれが言えるのでして、母体から乳を吸います為、努力を払い、頸の力を増してくる。人工栄養の際のゴムの乳首などは、こんな意味からむしろ良くありません。乳児の授乳の際は汗ばむ程の努力を払い、口や頸に充血しますが、これが刺激となって頸骨が発達し、順調に生え揃うわけです。そんな意味で先ず母乳が一番ですね。

天野博士：はあ、そうすると乳歯ぐらいと仲々馬鹿にならぬものですね。

矢尾博士：そうです。乳歯の虫歯は早く治療するに越したことはありません。ムシバの初期であればセメントで埋める程度で結構ですし、費用も安く上がるわけです。費用の点ですが、先程からお話に出ました妊産婦の問題でも入院の為に巧く行かぬ場合が多いんじゃないですか。先日郷里（岡山）へちょっと帰りましたが、向こうでは県の斡旋で健康保健が行き届いていて非常に安い費用で入院出来る。一例をあげると、私の父が入院の際入院料五十銭、食費一円二十銭といった具合で村人からも非常に喜ばれ、利用されているが、これは朝鮮にも拡めて貰いたいと思います。それからムシバの根本的予防についで、次に歯ブラシを使ってカスを除くこの第二の予防法を励行すれば絶対ムシバにならぬといってよいでしょう。もっとも之れには『正しいブラシの使い方』が必要になって来るんです。『タテ』に使うんですね。それから朝はやるが夜は面倒臭いというのは大へんな間違いで、夜寝る前にやるのが予防上効果が一番挙るわけです。

戸村女史：塩と歯磨き粉の相違はどんなものでしょう？

矢尾博士：大した違いはありません。

天野博士：では幼児の教育については『友の会』では？

矢島女史：はい、友の会幼児生活団というので火曜組来年国民学校に上る者、水曜組五、六歳で毎週一回児島さん宅で開いています。歯磨きの講習にも特別に力を入れていまして、五、六歳の子供の頃は他人へ見せびらかしの心理が働くので、これを利用して大勢でやりますと大へん励みになるのでございます。

天野博士：崔先生、あなたは多忙な中によく優秀な子さんを沢山お育てのようですが、何か秘訣でもお有りでしょうか。

崔女史：学校の仕事の多忙な中にもお蔭様で三人の子供はみな丈夫に育ちました。乳飲児を育てますには人一倍気を使いますが、何より初めから時間を正確に授乳することだと思いました。私の仕事の上からも昼寝て夜寝ないのは困りますので子守さんに頼んで極力昼は寝かさないよう夜はぐっすり寝る習慣をつけました。規則的な生活が病気させぬ秘訣のように思います。

弘中博士：本当に結構なお話ですね。

天野博士：いわゆる教養ある婦人必ずしも丈夫な良い子を育てず、そうでない婦人でも立派に児童愛護の実を挙げている実例も少ないのですが、どういう母が一体よい母ということになりましょうかね、弘中先生．．．

弘中博士：つまり子供はよく育てるからよく育つのであって、物分かりの悪い婦人も随分多いです（笑声）

永井氏：自分本位のあやし方をする婦人もありましてね（笑声）

金女史：朝鮮は死亡率が高いのですから、乳幼児の相談所の如きものはも少し沢山あって欲しいですね。大学病院、医専、旭医専、日赤その他に施療乳児院といったものを設けて戴いて予防や治療を徹底して戴き附設産院等も欲しいですね。国家の興亡は幼児からであり、母の懐から生れるものであっても幼児は各人のものでなく、国家のものであります。

京城日報　1943年5月3日

児童愛護座談会　本社後援　（下）

母よ子に厳しかれ

人みしり、物おじはよくない

岩佐氏：総督府では今年の一月から育児暦を配布しています。妊婦の心得や出産と月別育児法、疾病の早期手当等初めての母親でも分かるように詳細を極めています。

須江女史：毎週火曜丁子屋で開かれます緑旗聯盟主催の乳幼児相談所は回を重ねる毎に盛会です。十二月までに総計五百五十四名の子供の診察に応じました。相談件数は三〇六件、母乳について一一〇件、人工栄養について一八件、離乳期について一七七件でした。この乳児暦を配布するほか、資材難の折柄離乳期の食物の作り方、着物の利用法、肌着の作り方等種々研究しています。

矢島女史：冬季をどう過ごすかということも相当大きな問題ですし、燃料の関係から温突部屋とストーブとどちらが良いかなど会員間で統計をとっています。積極的には乳児体操なども良く、母親が助けてやらせることもよいと思います。

大塚氏：昨年は週間中『母と子の展覧会』を開いて満員でしたが、今年も育英会で内容を変えて開催致します。今年は育児講演会を新たに開き七日には府民館で城大泉先生の講演会と映画の夕が催されます。

天野博士：それでは子供の精神教育をどうするかという問題に入って戴きたいと思います。

嶺社会部長：今日では乳幼児の問題は唯単に人類的な立場からでなく、国家に通ずるもの、即ち国家的立場からすべてが考えられなくてはなりません。六歳位までの子供でも甘えたり我が儘だったり、人見しりしたり、沈鬱な子だったりではならない。国家が要求する子供は飽くまで明るく伸び伸びとした強い子でなければなりません。小さい子供で美しい動作、愛らしい心持の子供というものが存在するとおもいます。そうでない子供は結局母親が悪い。周囲の環境がそうさせたと云えると思います。例えば障子を破る子など母親がだらしないことに原因します。人みしりする子なども健全ではありませんね。

天野博士：只今の話のように母親の態度これは確かに重要ですね。国家の子供ですから錬成も必要です。

須江女史：母親は朝から晩までの家事一切を忠実に尽くすことが即ち大君に捧げまつることです。大君の辺にひれふす心が日本的躾だと思います。

天野博士：人みしりしたり物おじする様な子供は将来共栄圏の指導者として物の役に立たない子供の躾方には何とか要領があると思うんですが、友の会ではどんな風に？

矢島女史：友の会幼児生活団ではよく叱らな過ぎるといわれるんですが、私共では子供に気が付いて貰いたいのが主義です。

天野博士：子供の教育に当って個人主義的、自由主義的な従来の態度を一擲して全体的なるもの国家的なものに是正されなければならないと思いますが、この点半島の方の御意見はどんなものでしょうか。

金女史：地方からの婦人見学団なんかの話を聞いてみましても、徴兵令施行発表以来、半島児童の根本観念もすっかり変わって来て、自分達も立派な皇軍兵士になれるんだという目的意識を発見して喜び勇んでいるように聞いていますが、この際徹底的に児童の使命を吹き込んで貰いたいと思うんです。

天野博士：それから子供の玩具の問題がありますね。資材の少ない関係から随分粗悪なものを見受けるようです。どんな玩具が良いか、弘中さん一つ。

弘中博士：先ず怪我せぬようなもの。塗料の粗悪なものも危険です。教育的であること等が挙げられます。

須江女史：玩具の与え方なんですが、天長節とかお正月とか国家的な意義ある日に意味を含めて与えるようにすれば子供達は大事にする気になると思います。ちょっとした手土産風に持って行って与える風習があるが、あれば一番いけないことだと思います。

洪氏：粗悪玩具は商人が利益のために勝手に作るからでして、何とか統制して貰いたいものです。二、三円も出して直ぐ壊れて了う。これでは子供に満足感を与えた次の瞬間には失望を与えることとなり、その心理的に与える影響は由々しきものがあり、私などここ数年間買わぬことにしています。

嶺社会部長：私の處の小さい子供は積み木とダイアモンドゲームとを巧に組み合わせて米軍艦撃沈等の時局遊びを工夫していますが、子供の世界にも工夫や構成がなされることは喜ばしいことと思います。

矢島女子：空箱や蜜蜂箱に色紙を貼って使用すればママゴト遊びや汽車になったり随分重宝に使えます。

崔女史：宅では近頃人形を止めてマクラを赤ちゃんだと抱いています。（笑声）

金氏：児童心理の研究指導機関もあって欲しいと思います。幼児指導を過った為長じて不良化した事例も多いので、優良児童表彰の半面こういった心理の指導機関も総督府で考慮してほしいものです。

天野博士：子供は肉体的にも強いし精神的にもどこかしっかりした気魄のある者に育てるには精神教育に一段と魂を入れるべきだと思います。強い精神力を吹き込むには一体どうすればよいか。

国民学校教育においては勿論一般家庭においてもどんな風に扱うべきか。これについては例えば毎朝神棚を礼拝して規律正しい生活を送るとか、精神を乱すことを許さぬ親の厳格な態度を示すことによって自然に子供に反映させるとかですね。親自身が勝ち抜く態度と強い気魄を堅持すれば自然子供はついてゆくと思います。従来の日本の学校調査統計によってみても家庭の経済力の豊かな家の子供は成績が余り芳しくなく、中流又は下層家庭から返ってしっかりした者が出ている。これは親は自分の希望に及びつかなかったから、せめて子供には追いつついて貰いたいと云う精神の厳しさが子供に反映して常に後押しする結果だと思います。では時間も参りましたから、この辺で閉会致します。＝終＝

Young Korean men were 'beaten into shape' at militaristic farmers' dōjō (Imperial Japanese training indoctrination camp) to cultivate the next generation of rural Korean leaders who would spread the Imperial Way of farming throughout the Korean countryside (Daejeon, 1943)

This is my translation and transcription of a news article from Keijo Nippo, a propaganda newspaper and mouthpiece of the government of Japan-colonized Korea. It has never been republished or translated before, to the best of my knowledge.

I have to acknowledge historian Jeong Jae-jeong (정재정/鄭在貞) for writing an excellent paper about Imperial Japanese indoctrination camps in Korea, including farmers' dōjōs, in his 2005 paper, '日帝下朝鮮における国家総力戦体制と朝鮮人の生活' ('The National Total War System in Korea under Imperial Japanese rule and the lives of the Korean people'), which he wrote in Korean and Japanese as part of a project of the Japan-Korea Cultural Foundation (Japanese language PDF link, Korean language PDF link). Unfortunately, this article is not available in English. 

As Jeong explains in his papers, colonial authorities set up training camps and centers for students, laborers, farmers, young women, and even government officials to indoctrinate Koreans in Imperial Japanese ways. The Yuseong Farmers' Dōjō was one training camp that was originally set up more as a normal vocational center for local men to learn the latest modern farming techniques, but later taken over by Imperial Way fanatics to become more like a religious cult indoctrination center. There was apparently also a parallel Yuseong Women's Training Center for young women to learn farming techniques, child rearing, and house chores, which Jeong mentions in his paper.

This article describes inmates singing songs by Ninomiya Sontoku (alternatively named Ninomiya Ginjiro), whose teachings South Korean dictator Park Chung-hee adopted in his New Community Movement, which was a campaign to modernize rural South Korea incorporating ideas from traditional Korean communalism and didactic techniques that were commonly used in Imperial Japan. Quoting a passage from The New Community Movement: Park Chung Hee and the Making of State Populism in Korea by Han Seung-mi:

Nevertheless, the New Community Movement met with genuine response from the countryside. Its key methodology was spiritual training. It was enforced under guidelines set by Park himself, and "non-economic" mental/social issues were addressed in order for the economy to prosper. Park was influenced by Japanese-style mental training, as were his high-ranking officials and policy advisors, who also believed in a Weberian emphasis on work ethics. "The Swiss had the Puritans, and the Japanese have Ninomiya Ginjiro" (interview, April 1999). Interesting, this comment by a former NCM policy maker at the Blue House was echoed by an elderly farmer in the countryside: "I knew instantly what the president was getting across. It was Ninoyama Ginjiro! He was in our 6th grade textbook!" (Interview with a farmer in his seventies, Yeoju County, Kyunggi Province, May 1999). In fact, it assumed an urban bias to assume that the culture of poverty—laziness, despair, and intemperance—was behind the slow economic growth in the countryside. Farmers in general had not given up on life before the NCM was introduced, as the slogans suggested. Rather, the problem was structural in nature. 

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) May 3, 1943 (Monday Special Edition)

Increase Production in Harmony with the Earth

Valiant Training Without Any Sundays Off

Young People Leading Tomorrow's Farming Communities

In order to win the Greater East Asia War, it is necessary to increase production in all areas of production, and the Korean peninsula is currently continuing its daring battle toward increasing its military strength. In particular, Korea, which is called the 'granary peninsula,' is in a position of having to fulfill its duty given to it to increase food production. However, the emphasis on increasing food production is not limited to the conventional increase in crop yields. Indeed, Governor-General Koiso stresses the need to turn the farmers of the Korean peninsula into farmers of the Imperial Way at every opportunity, and explains the necessity of spiritual training. To this end, each province is committed to training the young men who are to become the central figures in the rural villages, and they are constantly training day and night at their respective farmers' dōjōs.

How are the young farmers being trained? How are they creating the core group of young farming men who will carry the future of the Korean peninsula's farming villages on their shoulders? This newspaper visited the Yuseong Farmers' dōjō in Chungnam, the oldest farmers' dōjō in Korea and a model for other provinces, to report with a pen and camera on the reality of "farmers being trained". [Correspondent Kimura]

The sign says 忠清南道儒城農民道場, or Chungcheongnam-do Yuseong Farmers' Dōjō.

How the dōjō is organized

The first farmers' dōjō was established in Korea not long ago, during the reign of Governor-General Ugaki, as one of the measures to realize the policy of rural development, and was established in each rural village to train a core group of young men to become self-sufficient farmers. The Yuseong Farmers' dōjō, established in June 1934, was the spearhead of this project. Since then, this facility has been recognized by each province as being very useful for training farmers, especially for creating core groups of young men in each village, and now there are no provinces without a farmers' dōjō. At first, the goal was to establish self-sufficient farming through self-rehabilitation, but after the war, under the great mission to secure food for the Co-prosperity Sphere under the Greater East Asia War, there will be a strong demand to practice farming the Imperial Way, not simply to expand the area of arable land and rationally use fertilizers. They are being trained to "love the soil, live with the soil, and die with the soil" just as they do in mainland Japan, to practice Korean farming carried forth by spiritual training. For this reason, the Yuseong Farmers' dōjō, which serves as a model for all of Korea, has increased its capacity from 60 to 100 inmates this year to accelerate the Imperialization of Korean farmers.

Photo: A panoramic view of the Yuseong Farmers' dōjō in Chungnam.

This dōjō is located 12 kilometers from Daejeon, or a 30-minute walk from the Yuseong Hot Springs. The dōjō is surrounded by pine forests on one side and farm fields on three sides. It has a blessed environment with a view of orchards run by mainland Japanese operators in the far distance. The dōjō students currently undergoing training here are 60 men selected from the six counties of Daedeok, Yeongi, Gongju, Nonsan, Asan, and Cheonan. They live together in independent farmhouses in groups of five and undergo training without taking time off on Sundays.

The farmhouses were given names such as "rehabilitation," "promotion," "self-reliance," "service," "community," "thrift," "wise farming," "benevolent farming," "diligent farming," "respectful farming," "encouraging farming," "loving farming," and so on. For each farmhouse, whoever had the most outstanding academic background or agricultural ability was chosen to be the house leader, and he was placed in charge of the four remaining housemates. There are 12 farmhouses, six each on the east and west sides of the dōjō, with five people living in the same room, forming a completely independent farmhouse. There is a pigpen, a chicken coop, a compost shed, a cow shed, and so on. While they are cramped, they are equipped with the most ideal facilities for Korean farmers. The 12 farmhouses are of the same standard design and currently accommodate five people each. But since the dōjō is being planned to accommodate another 40 people in the near future, each farmhouse will eventually accommodate seven people each. There are plans to build two additional farmhouses. The dōjō owns arable land including rice paddies (4 chō + 1 se + 6 bu = 4.0 hectares or 9.8 acres), farm fields (5 chō + 4 tan + 6 se = 5.4 hectares or 13.4 acres), muddy fields (9 tan + 8 se + 5 bu = 1.0 hectare or 2.4 acres), forestland (6 chō + 8 tan + 6 bu = 6.7 hectares or 16.7 acres), 12 cows, 60 chickens, 18 sheep, and 12 rabbits, and is self-sufficient in everything except miso and soy sauce. On top of that, since annual revenues are 4,800 yen with vegetables alone, it means that highly intensive farming is being practiced compared to farmers overall. Since the number of inmates is increased by 40 while the amount of cultivated land remains the same, this means that we will have to put extra effort into intensive farming going forward.

In addition to the house leader, all four members of the farmhouse are assigned to the following tasks in an organized manner: rice cultivation, vegetables, animal husbandry, and facility management. In addition to the work assignments for each house, the dōjō as a whole is assigned a public morals officer, a power facility officer, a sales officer, a purchasing officer, and a cooking officer. All the harvested produce is submitted to the sales officer, and proceeds are transferred to the savings accounts of each farmhouse.

Beat them into shape to stop their "reliance on others"

Dōjō Life

The life of the dōjō students here is the same as that of the Navy: Monday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Friday, and the daily routine is repeated day in and day out with total discipline. In the morning, they wake up at 5:00 a.m., clean up the area around the farmhouse, tidy up the house, and wash up by 5:35 a.m. Then they gather in front of the Ōkura Worship Hall in the pine forest for the morning assembly, during which roll call is held, and then participants reverently bow towards the Worship Hall performing two claps, two bows, and then one clap, followed by Kyūjō Yōhai worship bowing in the direction of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo and then the Ise Jingū Yōhai worship bowing in the direction of Ise Shrine. Then the dōjō leader or instructor gives a speech, followed by national calisthenics exercises. From then until seven o'clock is the first working hour, during which they are assigned to work on such tasks as manure collection, weeding, straw work, farming, and livestock management, and in some cases, they are gathered in the auditorium for lectures.

Breakfast time is from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. To instill a sense of gratitude for food, they are required to say the pre-meal and post-meal vows three times. For breakfast, the inmate would stand in front of a bowl of miso soup, takuan picked radishes, and a heaping pile of rice, with his palms pressed together, chopsticks between his thumb and forefinger, and say,

"I am deeply grateful to the gods and Buddha for their blessings and the labor of so many people that went into the food being served to us. I will not be averse to eating this food because it tastes bad, nor will I be greedy because it tastes good. Let's eat."

After making this vow, he takes his chopsticks, and finishing breakfast, he is full of strength in body and mind, and now he will strive hard to perform the morning's work. The same vow is made at lunch, but they make the following vow after dinner:

"Now that dinner is over, we are full of strength, so let us reflect on today's work and prepare for tomorrow."

In addition, from February until the end of the training period in December, the students are required to memorize six Chinese characters a day, two at a time after each meal, in order to reach the goal of learning 2,000 Chinese characters. Although the dōjō students are usually graduates of national schools (elementary schools), they cannot actually write letters in their everyday language, so this training in Chinese characters is based on their parents' wishes that, after they return to their villages, they will be able to read the correspondence from the local myeon (township) office and explain the contents to fellow villagers, or at least be able to write letters on their parents' behalf.

After breakfast and learning Chinese characters, the second work period lasts until 12:50 in the afternoon, and the third work period lasts from 2:00 p.m. to sundown at 7:00 p.m. These are meant to be thorough "training periods" for the dōjō students to become farmers of the Imperial Nation. This daily routine is a time to seek a rethinking of the farming practices which they had been doing at home under the orders of their parents. It is a time to beat them into shape to rethink older farming practices involving reliance on others, which include sowing seasonal seeds according to the calendar, applying fertilizer when they sprout, giving up when it does not rain, and relying on others for help when there is drought. We teach them, if it doesn't rain, dig a well. If insects appear, take them out. If there is not enough fertilizer, make more compost.

In fact, the farmers in this area only add 100 kan (375 kg) or at most 200 kan (750 kg) of compost per tan (0.1 hectare, or about 1/4 acre), but at this dōjō, they make it an absolute requirement to add 2,000 kan (7500 kg) of compost per tan. At 8:00 p.m., after the hard daytime agricultural training is over and dinner and after-dinner events are finished, lectures, diary entries, and round-table discussions are held as needed. At 9:00 p.m., the night assembly, roll call, night greetings, and greetings to the hometowns are held, and at the sound of the bell at 9:30 p.m., all 12 farmhouses turn off the lights and go to bed at once.

Competence is better than talk

All training is done in the military style, reward good work and punish bad work

Training of dōjō students

Dōjō students are selected among young men between 17 and 25 years of age. From the time they enter the dōjō in February until the busy farming season in April, they are exclusively trained to become accustomed to group life. This year's dōjō students have completely picked up military-style training after only two months. One ring of the bell under the worship hall will prompt them to immediately gather at the same time, each farmhouse reporting nothing unusual among the five housemates, and all sixty of them instantly line up.

When the inmates first entered the dōjō, they were all different from each other. The children of poor farmers were accustomed to work, but their behavior was rough, and the worst ones did not even know how to use the toilet. The sons of independent farmers were frail and useless, and the best way to train them all at the same time was to train them military style. Next, it is important for the instructors to blend in with the dōjō students and be with them. Per long-standing practice, head instructors wake up before the students, ring the bell to wake them up, and eat the same meals together with the students. We also strictly enforce the "reward and punishment" policy, profusely praising students for good behavior and readily scolding them for bad behavior, and within two months they somehow become full-fledged dōjō students, just like in the military during the first inspection period.

The dining/lecture hall is crude with desks like chopping blocks, but all around hang the nameplates of students who completed the first through the ninth terms, and in front of them hangs a portrait of Yamazaki Nobuyoshi, a distinguished agricultural expert who is lauded as the 'father of the Korean farmers'. Written on the portrait are the words, "Ideals are more important than appearances, beliefs are more important than titles, and competence is more important than talk". The students strive to cultivate their spirit by singing the songs of Ninomiya Sontoku, following the lead of their instructors, so that these words are deeply engraved in the minds of the students.

Open Your Eyes

Characteristics of the dōjō

"Open your eyes! The eyes are not only for seeing what is on the surface. Look at the difference in the growth of the barley here and the barley next to it, and look for what is causing this difference. Opening your eyes means to look and to think." When managing and sowing the barley, or practicing any work task, they are told to pay attention to the way they look at things. Just because you have sown the seeds and a crop is produced, it does not necessarily mean that you have 'made' the crop. Rather, the accomplishment comes when you work hard to take care of the soil, when there is not a single weed in the rice paddy, and the crop has been pleasantly produced. That's the first time you can say that you have 'made' the crop. The dōjō's approach to crops is aimed at instilling the concept of breathing in harmony with the soil, breaking away from the plundering mentality of agriculture that Korean farmers tend to fall into. 

In order to take advantage of the creativity and ingenuity of the dōjō students, the students are allowed to build their own livestock barns, compost sheds, and fences to accompany the 12 farmhouses, designing the structures in accordance with their own ideas. The dōjō is unique in that each farmhouse is led by a house leader, and each cow shed is built according to the students' own ideas, and each chicken coop is built in a different way.

The production amount for fiscal year 1943 is projected to be 14,434 yen, and the farmers are instructed to reduce the amount land that they have been using to cultivate vegetables from 1 chō + 2 tan (2.9 acres or 1.2 hectares) last year to just 6 tan + 1 bu (1.5 acres or 0.6 hectares) this year, which is half the amount of land used last year, and still generate the same income as last year of 4,800 yen. In order not to reduce the amount of income by cutting back on cultivated land, cultivation cannot be done arbitrarily. Therefore, the farmers are taught accelerated cultivation under the guidance of the staff, and depending on their techniques, they are taught that they can increase their income. In fact, a paper greenhouse has been built on part of the farmland for early cultivation of cucumbers and eggplants, and some of the cucumbers have already been shipped out on April 10th.

A day at the farmers' dōjō: (1) Morning assembly in front of the Ōkura Worship Hall, (2) Vows before meals, (3) Transporting fertilizers, (4) Cattle duty, (5) Cucumbers grown quickly in a paper greenhouse, (6) Sowing cotton between rows of barley in the field = at the Yuseong Farmers' dōjō in Chungnam [Photo by Harada].

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-05-03

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年5月3日　（月曜特輯）

大地と共に増産へ

逞しい日曜なしの錬成

明日の農村を担う若き人々

大東亜戦争を勝ち抜くためには凡ゆる生産部門の増産が要請され、今や半島は挙げて戦力増強に向かって敢闘を続けているが、特に『穀倉半島』と呼称されている我が朝鮮は食糧増産によって与えられた義務を果たさなければならぬ立場に置かれている。而して食糧増産の要諦は従来の作付反別の増加だけに止まらず、小磯総督は機会ある毎に半島農民の皇道農民化を強調し、精神的訓練の必要を説いている。そのためには各道とも農村部落の中心人物たるべき青年層の錬成に心がけ、夫々の農民道場で日夜絶え間なき錬成を行っている。

若き農民は如何に鍛えられつつあるか。明日の半島農村を背負って立つ農村中堅青年はどうして作り出されるか。本紙は農民道場として最古の存在であり、他道の範となっている忠南儒城農民道場を訪れて、ここにペンとカメラによって『鍛えられる農民』の実態を報告する。【木村特派員記】

道場の組織

朝鮮に農民道場が創設されたのは古いことでなく、宇垣総督時代、農村振興政策を具現する一方策として各農村部落に中堅青年の自作農を作るために出来たもので、昭和九年六月設立した儒城農民道場をもって嚆矢とする。その後、この施設が農民錬成のため、特に部落中堅青年を作り出す上に非常に役立つことが各道に認められ、現在農民道場をもたぬ道はない。初めは自力更生による自作農設定を目標としていたが、戦争後は、大東亜戦下の共栄圏内の食糧確保という大使命の下に、単なる耕地面積の拡大、肥料の合理的使用に局限せず、皇国農民道の実践が強く要請され、精神的訓練によって運ばれた半島営農を内地と同様『土を愛し、土と共に生き、土と共に死す』の訓練を行っている。このため全鮮の模範である儒城農民道場では今年から従来の収容人員六十名を百名に増員して、半島農民の皇民化に拍車をかけることになった。

【写真＝忠南儒城農民道場の全景】

この道場は大田から十二キロの儒城温泉から更に歩行三十分の地点にあり、一方を松林、三方は道場耕地に囲まれ、遥か彼方には内地人経営の果樹園などが望見出来る恵まれた環境をもっている。現在ここに入所して訓練を受けている道場生は大徳、燕岐、公州、論山、牙山、天安の六郡から選抜された六十名で、これ等が各独立した農舎で五名づつ起居を共にして、日曜日なしの訓練を受けている。

その農舎にはそれぞれ更生、振興、自力、奉仕、共同、勤倹、賢農、篤農、精農、尊農、勧農、愛農等々の舎名がつけられていて、一舎のうち、学歴、農業能力などの優れた者を家長とし、残る四名の舎生の統率をしている。十二農舎は東西に六戸づつ建ててあり、五名の者が同室に起居し、全く独立した農家を形成している。豚舎あり、鶏舎あり、堆肥小屋あり、牛小屋あり．．．狭い乍らも半島農家の最も理想的な施設が具備されており、十二の農舎は同一規格で、現在は一舎五名づつを収容しているが、近く更に四十名を収容することになっており、そうなると一舎七名となり、ほかに二舎増築の予定になっているが、道場所有耕地は畓四町一畝六歩、田五町四反六畝、垈九反八畝五歩、林野六町八反六歩、家畜は牛十二頭、鶏六十羽、緬羊十八頭、兎十二羽で、味噌、醤油以外のものは一切自給自足し、なおその上蔬菜だけでも年収四千八百円をあげているから他の一般農家に比し高度の集約営農を行っていることになり、人員が四十名殖えても耕地は従前通りであるため今後は一層集約営農という点に力を注ぐことになっている。

農舎には家長のほか四名のもの全部に田畓作係、蔬菜係、飼育係、施設係を決めて秩序ある作業を割り当てている。各舎の割り当ての上に道場全体にも風紀、動力施設、販売、購買、炊事係をそれぞれ決めて、出来た作物は全部販売係に提出し、売上金は農舎毎に貯蓄に繰り入れる。

叩き直す”他力本願”

道場の生活

此処の道場生たちの生活は海軍と同じように月月火水木金金を実行し、総て規律をもって一日の課程を、来る日も来る日も変わらず繰り返している。朝は先ず午前五時起床、五時三十五分までの間に農舎附近の清掃、舎内の整頓、洗面を終って、松林内の大蔵奉祀殿前に集合して朝礼を行う。朝礼は人員点呼ののち奉祀殿に向かって恭しく二拍手、二礼、一拍手の拝礼をし、宮城、伊勢神宮遥拝ののち道場長又は輔導員の訓話があって国民体操をする。それから七時までが第一就業時間で、採肥、除草、藁細工、農耕、家畜管理などをやらせ、場合によっては講堂に集めて講義をすることもある。

七時から八時までが朝食時間であるが、食物に対する感謝の念を植えつけるために三度度々、食前、食後の誓いをさせる。朝食ならば味噌汁と沢庵漬け、山盛りの飯を前にして、合掌の姿勢をとり拇指と人差し指の間に箸をはさんで、

「この食物が食膳に上るまでには幾多の人々の労力と神仏の加護あることを思い、深く感謝致します。この食物を戴くことを過分に思い、不味いからとて厭うことなく、美味しいからとて貪る心を起こしません。戴きます」

と食前の誓いをしてから箸を取り、朝食を終りて身（心）力満ちたり、いでやこれより午前の作業に奮闘努力せん、御馳走さまと感謝の言葉を捧げる。昼食も同じような誓いをするが、夕食後の誓いは、

「夕食を終りて身力満ちたり、いでやこれより今日の課業を反省し明日に備えん」と唱和する。

そのほかに二月から十二月の修了期までに常用漢字二千を目標に食後必ず二字づつを教えて一日六字を覚えさせることにしている。道場生は大体国民学校出身者であるが、実際に日常語を手紙に書き現すことは出来ないそうで、部落へ帰ってから面事務所などから廻って来る書面を読みこなして部落民に伝えたり、手紙の代筆位は出来るようにとの親心から出た訓育である。

朝食と漢字習得が終ってから午後零時五十分までが第二就業時間で、午後二時から日没七時までの第三就業の時間とともに、道場生に対する皇国農民としての徹底した『鍛える時間』なのである。この日課のうちには、今まで自家にいて、仕方なしに父兄の命令でやっていた農耕に対し再認識を求める時間なのである。暦に従って季節季節の種蒔き、芽生えたならば申しわけの肥料をやり、雨が降らなければ『どうにもならぬ』と諦めて、干害ならばお上のお助けがあるだろうといった他力本願式の営農法を叩き直す時間なのである。雨が降らなければ井戸を掘れ。虫がついたらとれ。肥料が足りなければ堆肥をうんと作れと教え込むのである。

事実この附近の農民は反当百貫、よくて二百貫しか堆肥をやらぬのに、この道場では反当り二千貫の堆肥をやることを絶対の条件として実行している。はげしい日中の農業実習が終って午後八時夕食と食後の行事が終ると、課外として随時に講義や日記記帳、座談会が開かれ九時夜礼、人員点呼、夜の挨拶、家郷に向かっての挨拶があって、九時半、鐘の音と共に十二の農舎は一斉に消灯就寝するのである。

弁口よりも実力

信賞必罰、総て軍隊式

場生の訓練

道場生は十七歳から二十五歳までの青年から選び、二月の入所から四月の農繁期までは専ら集団生活に馴れるための訓育を行うが、本年度の場生は僅か二ヶ月の間にすっかり軍隊式の訓練を会得し、講堂の軒下にある鐘の音一つで同時でも直ちに集合し『××農舎五名異常なし』と報告して全員六十名が瞬時に整列する。

入所した当初は千差万別であった。貧農の子は労働には馴れているが、挙措が粗暴で、甚だしいのは便所の使い方も知らない。自作農の息子は身体が脆弱で役に立たず、これ等を同時に訓練するには軍隊式にやるのが第一である。次には輔導員が道場生の中に溶け込んで、彼等と共に在ることが大切である。陣頭指揮ということは、この道場では、ずっと以前から実行していることで、我々職員は生徒より先に起きて起床の鐘を鳴らし、飯も一緒に同じものを食べるようにしている。それと信賞必罰を厳重にして良いことは大いに褒め、悪いことはびしびしと叱っているが、二ヶ月もすれば軍隊の第一期検閲と同様、どうにか一人前の道場生になる。

食堂兼講堂は俎机の粗末なものであるが、周囲にずらりと第一期から第九期までの修了生の名札がかけてあり、正面には半島農民の父と謳われる我農生、山崎延吉翁の扁額がかかっている。「体裁よりも理想、肩書よりも信念、弁口よりも実力」と書いた言葉は生徒の頭に深く刻みこまれて行くよう、二宮翁道歌と共に輔導員が先唱し合唱して精神修養に努めている。

活眼を開く

道場の特徴

『活眼を開け。眼はただ上っ面のものを見るだけにあるんではない。此処の麥と隣の麥の伸び具合が異なっているが、その原因は何処にあるかをよく見ろ。活眼とは見てよく考えることだぞ』と麥の管理の時、播種のとき、凡ゆる作業実習の際に『物の観方』という点に注意を向けさせる。種を蒔いて稔ったからとて作ったことにはならぬ。それは『出来た』のだ。一生懸命土を可愛がって一本の雑草も畓田になく作物が気持ちよく稔った時に初めて『作った』ということが出来るんだぞーと、この道場の作物に対する考え方は、半島農民が陥りがちな掠奪農業から脱却して土とともに呼吸するという観念を植えつけるのを眼目としている。

また道場生の創意工夫を活かすためには、十二の農舎に付随する畜舎、堆肥小屋、塀などの築造は生徒の勝手な構想の下にやらせている。各農舎とも家長を中心に思い思いの牛小屋を作り、鶏舎の作り方も全部区々であるところに、この道場の特徴が現れている。

十八年度の生産額の予想は一万四千四百三十四円となっており、蔬菜類などは昨年まで一町二反歩を栽培していたのを今年は半分の六反歩に減らして、なお且つ収入は昨年と同じ四千八百円を挙げるように指導している。減反して収入を減らさぬためには投げやりの耕作では駄目だというので、職員の指導で促成栽培を行い、技術によっては収入が殖えることを教えている。現に耕地の一部に紙温室を作って胡瓜茄子の早期栽培をやり、既に胡瓜などは四月十日に一部を出荷している。

農民道場の一日：写真説明：（１）大蔵奉祀殿前の朝礼、（２）食前の誓い、（３）肥料の運搬、（４）畜牛の当番、（５）ペーパーハウスで速成栽培の胡瓜、（６）麥畑の間作に棉の播種＝忠南儒城農民道場にて【原田特派員撮影】